Rep. Kratovil (Md-1st) votes AGAINST stimulus bill

In addition to every single Republican member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-Md-1st) votes against President Obama's stimulus bill. He was one of 11 Democrats to do so, presumably after securing permission from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to do so. From the Washington Wire of WSJ.com:

President Barack Obama extended an olive branch to House Republicans in a Capitol Hill meeting on Tuesday, but not one member of the GOP conference voted in favor of the nearly $900 billion economic package approved 244-188 this evening.

After a day of spirited debate on the House floor, 177 House Republicans voted en masse against the proposal. Joining them were 11 House Democrats, including Reps. Allen Boyd of Florida, Bobby Bright andParker Griffith of Alabama, Jim Cooper of Tennessee, Brad Ellsworth of Indiana, Paul Kanjorski of Pennsylvania, Frank Kratovil of Maryland, Walt Minnick of Idaho, Collin Peterson of Minnesota, Heath Shuler of North Carolina, and Gene Taylor of Mississippi.

Bright, Parker, Kratovil and Minnick are freshman lawmakers, while Boyd, Cooper, Ellsworth, Peterson, Shuler and Taylor are members of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition. [EDIT BY DUCKAROUND: Kratovil has previously announced his intentions to join that caucus. Not sure if he's officially joined yet.]

As a freshman Democrat in a largely Republican district, Kratovil could almost have been expected to cast this vote. I'm sure he does honestly believe in his vote against this bill, as he has stated he won't vote for any stimulus package that doesn't have much more oversight and accountability than the bailouts passed under Pres. Bush and this package proposed by Pres. Obama.

But, let's be honest, it does give him convenient cover against a run by Andy Harris in '10. He can say he stood up to increased Washington spending, and demanded more oversight. The first bill he co-sponsored would eliminate the automatic raised Congresspersons get adjusted for inflation. 

For someone just getting introduced into big-time elected office, Frank Kratovil seems to have learned some lessons very quickly.